


A Heart of Gold

by Anonymous



Category: Pirate101 (Video Game)
Genre: Emotionally Repressed Battle Angel, Gen, Valentine's Day, light humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29436258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: The Pirate throws a Valentine's Day party for the crew. Yet, one crew member doesn't understand the need for it, or why she needs to participate. Thankfully, a few of her crew mates along with the Captain herself are willing to help her understand.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4
Collections: Anonymous





	A Heart of Gold

The Pirate was planning a Valentine’s Day party, but to the crew, that meant drinks and mingling at the tavern with a few extra decorations plastered all over. But they were content with that. In fact, those simple rewards kept their morale up in the race against Kane to get the map pieces. All the crew members were buzzing around the area, helping set up the drinks and food. They were even wearing _slightly_ nicer clothing per the Captain’s request. 

“Cap’n, I’ve got the drinks all set up. _Now_ can we start? I’ve been waitin’ all day!” Ratbeard asked, as he picked up one of the many bottles of Yum on the table. 

“For once I agree with you Ratbeard. After that debilitating amount of manual labor, I am positively _parched_.” Catbeard said, fanning himself in an exaggerated motion. 

The Pirate did a once over at the room. She could see their crew staring at the Yum as if they were predators eyeing their prey. And best of all, the tavern _didn’t_ smell like a sewer with all of them in there, confirming that they followed the order to tidy up just a bit for this special occasion. 

Smiling, she cleared her throat and held up an opened Yum bottle, gazing at the numerous faces looking at her. “You all have done well these past few months, especially with flogging those sorry Clockworks in Marleybone. I reckon this party was well deserved. Happy Valentine’s Day. Drink up!” 

The crew cheered and the copious bottles of Yum organized on the table quickly disappeared. Amused, the Pirate laughed as she saw her crew eagerly playing drinking games, or seeing them banter with each other. Though, she quickly realized that this party may be turning out to be more expensive than she anticipated with all the Yum. Not that she minded. She knew it would have gone over budget anyways and saved up more money than she thought was necessary. 

Her eyes stopped at the lone figure standing by the entrance. It was the newest member of the crew - the battle angel known as Militus Sentrix - standing perfectly still, as if she was guarding something. The Pirate walked up to her, somewhat concerned. “Wouldn’t you like to join the party, Sentrix?” 

Sentrix responded, “Captain, I do not think that this frivolity is necessary for me. I believe I should stand guard for the rest of the night in case there is any suspicious activity afoot.” 

The Pirate cocked her head in confusion at this answer. Then, she sighed. “Why do you think I planned a party today?”

“To boost morale for the rest of the crew. But do not worry, I do not tire of combat like everyone else. My only purpose is to serve you, and help you achieve your goal.” Sentrix seemed completely sure of her answer, as if it couldn’t be anything else. 

Crossing her arms, the Pirate’s lips formed a fine line. “It’s true that this party was partly because I wanted to ‘boost morale’ like you said. But this was also to celebrate the friendships and bonds everyone in the crew has made. Including you. That’s what Valentine’s Day is about. You aren’t just a pawn to me, but one of my companions, like everyone else.” 

Sentrix turned to the sight of the rambunctious, yet happy crew members downing their bottles of Yum. “I...do not understand what you are saying. Admittedly, I had never heard of Valentine’s Day before I joined you. The idea of friendships - even now - is still foreign to me. Perhaps that is because I was made to fight, without any other reason to function.” If anything, the Captain wasn’t too surprised at the battle angel’s view of herself. Sentrix kept to herself and didn’t talk to anyone else if it wasn’t necessary. That must be how the Armada operated amongst themselves: it honestly sickened her. 

The Captain grasped the battle angel’s hand and began walking. Sentrix flinched as she was dragged into the party and looked down at her, seemingly bewildered. “What are-”

“I reckon it’s time that we change that idea of yours. C’mon, let’s go talk to some of the other crew members. That’s an order, savvy?” Sentrix stopped struggling after she heard the last sentence. They walked over to a table with two empty seats. Bonnie Anne, Gracie Conrad, and Old Scratch were all talking amongst one another. They smiled when they saw the two take their seats. 

“Glad you guys decided to talk to us instead of that crazy lot over there,” Gracie began, gesturing to Ratbeard and Catbeard arguing about yet another insignificant issue while others around them were laughing uncontrollably. “I like Yum and all, but it's overrated in my opinion. Too much of it can turn anyone into a complete scoundrel.” 

Bonnie whistled at her bold statement. “Better not let them hear you say that, or you’ll be torn to shreds!” 

Old Scratch nodded. “Aye. I cannot eat or drink anymore, but even I can sense the powerful hold it can take upon one’s morality.” 

The engineer rolled her eyes playfully. “Not afraid of them. If they try anything, they can taste the full fury of my war golem. It’s a force to be reckoned with, y’know?” Her eyes lit up as she turned towards the battle-angel. “Speaking of a force to be reckoned with...Sentrix, I added some upgrades recently so you’ll be able to strike faster in combat. Do you feel a difference?” 

If there was anyone in the crew Sentrix was the closest with, it would probably be Gracie. She often fixed any mechanical issues that the battle angel had with such incredible zeal. Probably because she never had the opportunity to work on a clockwork. Everyone could see her giddiness whenever she went to check on Sentrix, and the Captain thought it was almost endearing in a way. 

The battle angel didn’t respond immediately, and her wings twitched slightly at the sudden question. Gracie raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?” 

Knowing the kind of situation she put Sentrix in, the Pirate quickly explained what had just transpired a few minutes earlier. The three crew members seemed to understand at last. 

Bonnie Anne was the first to speak. “I guess that makes sense, knowing how that devil Kane and the rest of the Armada is. Sentrix, you don’t have to believe in that hogwash. You’re not with them anymore. Now, you can think for yourself.” 

“I...believe that is the issue. Without a directive, I do not know how to operate. Furthermore, I cannot comprehend emotions such as affection, despair, or rage. Kane ingrained the notion into every one of us that they were a nuisance. Even when I was going to be destroyed for being considered a subpar unit, I felt nothing. I accept that I was not meant to continue functioning.” 

Everyone felt a hollow feeling spread throughout their body at Sentrix’s inexpressive tone about her almost morbid fate. Grace bit her lip as she remembered finding the battle angel’s unresponsive body in a storage room at Beachhead. Much to everyone’s chagrin, she insisted on taking her back because she felt confident that she could fix and recalibrate her so that she could be a crewmate. There were a plethora of protests against this idea, especially by crewmembers that have personally been hurt by the Armada. The Captain and a few others, however, saw the resolve in Gracie’s eyes. In the end, they trusted her to not put the crew’s lives in jeopardy with this risky project. 

The Pirate looked at the battle angel quizzically. “You said that you _felt_ nothing. How about now, when you think about it? Were there things you thought you were going to miss? I wager there has to be something.” 

Sentrix looked down at the ground, her fists on her lap curling slightly. “Now that I ponder that memory, I suppose I was curious about where my sisters would be deployed after I was gone.”

“Your sisters? What do you mean?” Bonnie asked.

“The battle angels that were built in the same generation would refer to each other as ‘sisters.’ I was the only one who did not meet the requirements to continue functioning. They went on to see combat without me, and I was left to be dismantled for parts.” Everyone else looked at each other in disbelief. 

“You know, Sentrix…” The Captain began, “If you call someone else ‘sister,’ it usually does mean you feel close to that person.”

“Aye, that be true. They must have been like a family to you. Do you not miss them?” Old Scratch questioned. 

“...I do not think so. If I were to meet them again, they would most likely be our enemies. Therefore, I would cut them down without restraint,” Sentrix replied; however, there was a hint of uncertainty in her tone. 

Everyone noticed this and Gracie seized the opportunity to push a little more. “Are you _absolutely_ certain of that?” 

The battle angel seemed to be reminiscing about something. Finally, she looked at Gracie. “Before I met you all, my answer would have been final. It is quite peculiar that I find myself hesitating now. I do not understand.” 

“That means you care for them. That’s what affection is,” Bonnie said, somewhat baffled that they actually managed to break through. 

Raising her eyebrows, the Pirate turned to Gracie in awe. “Did you do something to her when you fixed her? If this is what she really feels, then…” 

The engineer shook her head. “No, Captain. All I did was reassemble her and change her directive from Kane to you. I don’t know enough about the schematics of the Clockworks to change something _that_ advanced.” 

“Perhaps it is the crew that helped you realize this,” Old Scratch suggested.

“What do you mean?” Sentrix asked. 

“A life built upon battle and apathy would harden anyone, whether they are of flesh and blood or a Clockwork. Kane told you emotions were meaningless, and you believed him. The Captain sees you as a friend, and treats you as such. Aye, we all see you as a companion as well. You are not some tool to us. We could never discard you like the Armada tried to.” 

The Pirate’s eyes widened at this revelation. In all honesty, she didn’t have high hopes that they might find something like this lurking in the battle angel’s thoughts. She always thought that the Clockworks would be emotionless no matter what. This was something that maybe even Kane did not deem possible. 

The battle angel was silent, to the point that it was almost cryptic. “Even though I am unsure at this juncture, your words may mean something...” She gazed at each of them. “I confess that seeing any of you perish would be problematic to me. Though, I suspect that several of the crew members would be elated to see me fall in battle.” Everyone else awkwardly looked at each other, knowing that there was some semblance of truth to her words. It’s true that not everyone was thrilled with the prospect of an Armada soldier joining them. Some crewmates outright avoided her. 

“I understand,” Old Scratch answered, breaking the tension. “I attacked the Captain when we first met. But instead of finishing me off, she showed me a better way to atone. At first, the other crewmates were wary of me. Now, I feel like I have a place here. It will be the same for you in due time. I am sure of it.” The witch doctor glanced at the Pirate, and she smiled. Then, she turned to Sentrix, a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Well if anyone tries to do or say something bad to you, let me know and I’ll feed em’ to the batacudas.” The Pirate then giggled sheepishly. “Uh, mostly joking of course. But I reckon they’ll get a good flogging from me!” 

“Aye. No one gets to bully you with a Captain like ours!” Bonnie agreed, while everyone else burst out laughing. 

Sentrix cocked her head at their behavior. “I cannot comprehend what is so amusing about eradicating a crewmate.”

Gracie waved her hand nonchalantly. “Eh, don’t worry about it. Humor is something that will come with experience. But do you get what Valentine’s Day is about now?”

The battle angel slowly nodded. “I suppose so. Being with you all today to celebrate it is...fun? Is that the correct terminology?”

Amused, the Pirate patted Sentrix on the back. “Aye, now you’re starting to get it. Never imagined I’d see the day that a Clockwork would say the word ‘fun.’ Hey Gracie, maybe you could fix up another Armada soldier sometime. I really like them when they aren’t trying to kill us.” 

Giggling impishly, Gracie picked up her wrench and tossed it up in the air, catching it with one hand skillfully. “Sure thing, Captain. I’ve been itching to try a dragoon. Maybe Sentrix here would _really_ like that…” It was probably the fact that today was Valentine’s Day of all days that caused all of them except the confused battle angel to start snickering.

“Once again, I fail to find the hilarity in this conversation,” she said monotonously. 

Gracie once again waved her hand. “Like I said before, it all comes with experience. Trust me.” 

“You’re right,” the Pirate said, raising her Yum bottle, gesturing to Bonnie and Gracie to do the same. “I propose a toast in honor of Sentrix. Ruthless in battle, innocent to a fault, but has a true heart of gold.” 

They all downed the rest of their Yum, each of them sighing in satisfaction as they slammed their bottles back down on the table. “You have my gratitude, I suppose,” Sentrix said, looking at them, slightly intrigued. Valentine’s Day turned out to be much more interesting than she anticipated. She still didn’t fully understand the depth of emotions; yet, the little that she felt...was fascinating to her. 

**Author's Note:**

> I just love the Armada so much, and the Haywire Armada companions are one of my favorites to use. Valentine's Day gave me this little idea, and it was fun to write. Thanks for reading. ^_^


End file.
